Thailand

by: Dr. Boonlert Masaeng

Presented at the third SEAMOLEC GB Meeting ( 23-26 September 1999)

It has been the Government mission to promote the expansion of educational opportunities and increase the quality of basic education for the population. The Distance Education via Satellite Project was initiated in the Seventh National Economic and Social Development Plan (1992-1996), which placed strong emphasis on the development of human resources as an important means to guide the nation development in the desired directions.

Distance Education via Satellite Project applies satellite communicative technology to promote the Government policy of expanding basic education from six to nine years. The Cabinet approved this project on March 29, 1992 and assigned its implementation to the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the private sector. A memorandum on the assistance and collaboration for the use of satellite in distance education management was signed between the Ministry of Education and the Thaicom Foundation on June 8, 1994 covering a period of five years.

The project has made satisfactory progress under the agreed terms of the memorandum between the two parties resulting in a breakthrough in the application of advanced communications technology for the benefit of the educational system through the use of educational television programs. It has been proved to be specifically beneficial in increasing opportunities and improving the quality of education equally for both urban and rural populations.

This summary report on the implementation of Distance Education via Satellite Project (19941999) has compiled significant information concerning the projects operations in the previous years for dissemination to interested parties. It is hoped that such information will encourage the organization of distance education via satellite on a wider and more continual basis.